THE CONFLICT OF CLASSES 175 



of snakes that lost their paws, having to return to 

 creeping. Others, mammals, suited to a terrestrial 

 existence, have again lived in water, by undergoing 

 more or less serious modifications, while preserving 

 their lungs; such are the web-footed (seals and 

 walrus) and the cetacea (whales, cachalots, etc.). 

 The former are marine butchers united to real 

 butchers by means of Lutra vulgaris" 1 



The economic conditions of life have divided 

 men into shepherds and warriors, patricians and 

 plebeians, burgesses and proletariat that is, 

 divisions dependent on the age and ignorance ; 

 from which it happened, and happens, that the 

 lesser part of humanity lives at the expense 

 of the other part; whence arises a very natural 

 antagonism, that constitutes the conflict between 

 classes. This antagonism is not the fruit of per- 

 version but of the errors of the age, and if they 

 have not been remedied before, it is not for want 

 of will, but because we were not, and are not, 

 acquainted with the mode of accomplishing this 

 change ; and proposals up till now are vague and 

 confusing, as no clear image exists of the society 

 of the future. 



But on the day when such a vision shall exist, 

 the day when the majority of mankind will be able 



1 Dr Laloy, devolution de la vie, p. 223. 



